Chi Yu's Shadow Clone carried the chakra-depleted Kakashi away from the battlefield.
But unlike most clones, this one didn't dissipate. It remained at Kakashi's side—ready for any threat that might arise.
Without chakra, Kakashi was dangerously vulnerable.
Meanwhile, Chi Yu's main body, still locked in combat, became even more ruthless now that Kakashi was safely out of harm's way.
Yet, the Hidden Mist shinobi—battle-hardened veterans forged under the brutal Bloody Mist regime—did not falter. Instead of being demoralized by their comrades' deaths, their bloodlust intensified. They charged Chi Yu with unrelenting fury.
Chi Yu formed hand seals with practiced precision.
"Water Release: Water Severing Wave!"
This high-level Water Release jutsu, originally developed by the Second Hokage Senju Tobirama, expelled a razor-sharp, high-pressure stream of water from the user's mouth, capable of slicing through solid targets like a blade.
Chi Yu had acquired several of Tobirama's techniques, including this one, from a special exchange with Yahiko.
A high-pressure stream erupted from Chi Yu's mouth, instantly piercing through multiple Mist shinobi. With a sharp pivot of his neck, he swept the deadly stream across the field, severing bodies with surgical precision.
The remaining Hidden Mist shinobi quickly adapted, dispersing to avoid being grouped targets. They launched coordinated long-range jutsu in retaliation.
"Myriad Rejection!"
Activating his left Mangekyō Sharingan, Chi Yu nullified the incoming ninjutsu. The space around him shimmered subtly, bending reality to repel all chakra-based attacks.
The Mist ninja froze in shock. Their jutsu had simply vanished upon contact.
But Chi Yu was already moving, forming new hand seals.
"Water Release: Water Bullet Barrage!"
Water projectiles shot from his palms like a torrent of bullets, ripping through the scattered enemies with overwhelming force.
From a distance, Kakashi watched in silence, awe and yearning in his eyes.
He touched his covered left eye. Though he still possessed the Sharingan, his chakra reserves were insufficient for high-intensity combat. Unlike Chi Yu, every jutsu Kakashi used had to be calculated and restrained.
Suddenly, a sharp voice rang out.
"Ice Release: Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death!"
Countless senbon made of ice rained down on Chi Yu.
Since these projectiles had a physical form, Myriad Rejection couldn't completely nullify them.
Chi Yu spun his ninja sword in a defensive whirl, deflecting the barrage of icy needles with impeccable timing and precision.
Then, he spotted the attacker.
A man stood ahead—tall, with long black hair, an ornamental crest on his head, and squinting eyes that never fully opened. The surrounding Mist shinobi immediately stepped back and bowed.
"Lord Mizukage."
Chi Yu's gaze sharpened. He hadn't expected the Third Mizukage of Kirigakure to arrive so soon.
"Blood-Eyed Shura, Chi Yu," the Mizukage said coldly. "You've got nerve, coming here alone."
Chi Yu ran a hand through his sweat-soaked hair, then grinned.
"I know. I'm rather bold. But that's only because I don't see anyone here as my equal—including you. I came for revenge. You killed my disciple."
The Third Mizukage's expression didn't change, but his voice grew colder.
"Heh. Such arrogance."
With one hand, he began forming seals.
"Ice Release: Extermination Ice Blast!"
An upgraded variant of the Thousand Flying Needles, the Mizukage's jutsu summoned a denser, more rapid hailstorm of ice senbon.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
Chi Yu spat out a spiraling torrent of water that encircled him like a rotating shield, blocking the ice storm completely.
The Mizukage's eyes opened slightly—only a sliver—but it was enough to reveal a hint of surprise.
"That water wall… That's Tobirama's Water Release."
Indeed, while most users formed a vertical wall from below, Tobirama's version rotated horizontally around the caster in a defensive spiral—more advanced, more dynamic, and harder to breach.
The Mizukage's hands blurred into motion again.
"Ice Release Secret Technique: Exploding Ice Crystal!"
Chi Yu's water wall began to freeze, locking him inside. But in the next instant—
"Lightning Flash!"
With a burst of speed, Chi Yu vanished from the encasement just before the ice shattered explosively behind him.
The Mizukage narrowed his eyes.
"Impressive speed... but even lightning has a counter."
He slammed his palm into the water beside him.
"Water Release Secret Technique: Water Mirror Technique!"
A watery mirror rose before the Mizukage. From its surface emerged a perfect reflection of Chi Yu.
Chi Yu frowned. He knew this jutsu. In the Fourth Great Ninja War, the Edo Tensei version of Yagura Karatachi—Fourth Mizukage and a former Jinchūriki—had used it to great effect. The mirror clone mimicked not only the opponent's appearance but also their techniques and power output.
His duplicate moved first, launching forward.
Chi Yu deactivated Myriad Rejection.
This was a rare opportunity—to fight himself, and see how far he'd truly come.
"Water Release: Heavenly Weeping!"
Chi Yu shot a series of high-speed water needles from his mouth at the clone's head.
The imitation activated Lightning Release Chakra Mode and blurred out of sight with Lightning Flash.
Then, shockingly—it used "Thunder Breathing First Form: Thunderclap and Flash" and slashed at Chi Yu with blinding speed.
Chi Yu blocked with his blade. Sparks flew.
The power, the speed—it mirrored his own exactly. Even the use of Breathing Techniques and the insight of the Sharingan.
The clone retaliated with its own "Heavenly Weeping."
Chi Yu tilted his head, narrowly dodging, then kicked the imitation away.
"Thunder Breathing, Fifth Form: Heat Boundary Thunder!"
A slash of searing lightning arced from Chi Yu's blade toward the clone.
The imitation responded in kind, releasing the same jutsu—and the two lightning slashes collided with explosive force.
"Fire Release: Dragon Flame Singing Technique!"
Four fire dragons erupted from Chi Yu's mouth, surrounding the clone from all sides.
The clone raised a "Water Formation Wall," neutralizing the flames.
Then it struck back: "Water Release: Water Severing Wave!"
Chi Yu weaved through the onslaught using repeated Lightning Flash bursts.
From a safe distance, Kakashi watched, dumbstruck.
The clone fought Chi Yu evenly, move for move.
Every instinct, every decision, every jutsu—it mirrored him completely.
And Chi Yu, in the midst of the chaos, was smiling.
This was more than a battle.
This was a true test of self.
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